Jerene Rae Fogarty Crockett, 89, beloved orchestra conductor, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great grandmother, friend, and servant of God, died Monday, July 25, 2022, in Wimberley, Texas, under hospice care.
She was born December 14, 1932, in the upstairs bedroom of her grandmother Fogarty’s house in Guthrie, Okla., to Richard W. “Dick” and Rachel (Miller) Fogarty. Her family life was steeped in experiences of faith and music at Guthrie’s First Baptist Church. She discovered the cornet in a grade school band program and soon it brought invitations for performances at school, church, and Lion’s Club gatherings across the region. While pursuing her degree in music education at Oklahoma A&M College (now O. S. U.), Jerene was courted by her sweetheart Branson “Bill” Crockett, an engineering major and ROTC cadet from Hugo, Okla. In August 1953, there was a grand double wedding with Jerene, her sister Mary, and their fiancés. It was a day of full-on exuberance that was talked about in Guthrie still for years. A year later she lost her mother Rachel to cancer.
During Branson’s enlistment in the U.S. Air Force, she gave birth to David and Billy, and the family relocated to bases in Sedalia, Mo.; Oxnard, Calif.; Liberty, Texas; Wichita, Kan. and others. In 1961, the family moved to Richardson, Texas, where Branson began his engineering career. There, they put down roots and discovered the First Baptist Church, its community of friends and faith, and called it home. Here Jerrie began developing an instrumental group to enhance worship services, playing trumpet, often with Bill at the piano. In the following 40 years, the music and musicians she inspired grew to a full 65-piece orchestra performing concerts for the church, on mission tours in Europe, and at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. The couple shared a two-year adventure in Olney, England in the late 80s when Bill was on work assignment. There, Jerene played trumpet for churches in the region, including a performance for the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 2002, she passed the baton to her protégé, Marie Farley. Jerrie was widowed a few years later in 2006. In her remaining years, she experienced progressive dementia which finally took her life. She has a vibrant legacy made of a community of loving friends, musicians, family, and the echoes of inspired performances that remain in many hearts.
She is survived by her brothers John Richard Fogarty and wife Marty, of Tyler, Texas and Michael O. Fogarty and wife Billie, of Oklahoma City, Okla.; sons David Mark Crockett and wife Barbara, of Eufaula, Okla. and William Branson “Billy” Crockett, Jr. and wife Dodee, of Wimberley; grandchildren April Brunson, Tara Foster, Shawn Crockett, Austin Crockett; and great grandchildren Tyler Foster, Carly Brunson, Ella Crockett, Colt Crockett, Hadley Crockett, and Hayes Crockett.
She is preceded in death by her husband William Branson Crockett, Sr., sister Mary Geraldine Carter, brother-inlaw H. A. “Bud” Carter, nephew John Richard “J. R.” Fogarty, Jr., parents Richard Wilcox Fogarty and Rachel Fogarty, and stepmother Rosalie Hammitt Fogarty. Her ashes will be interred alongside Branson’s in Guthrie.
A celebration of Jerene’s life is planned for 2 p.m. on Monday, September 12 at First Baptist Church of Richardson, Texas. In her memory, donations will be gladly accepted to First Baptist Church of Richardson, 1001 N Central Expy, Richardson, TX 75080, for the instrumental music program, att: Tracie McCormick.
Arrangements are under the direction of Thomason Funeral Home. For more information and to sign the online registry, please visit thomasonfuneralhome. com.